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as in to live
to have a home the charming fantasy that fairies abide in the cup-shaped flowers dotting the woodland floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb abide differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of abide are bear, endure, stand, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When is bear a more appropriate choice than abide?

The words bear and abide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

When could endure be used to replace abide?

While in some cases nearly identical to abide, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

In what contexts can stand take the place of abide?

The meanings of stand and abide largely overlap; however, stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When might suffer be a better fit than abide?

The synonyms suffer and abide are sometimes interchangeable, but suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When can tolerate be used instead of abide?

The words tolerate and abide can be used in similar contexts, but tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

Examples of abide in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web The matter of Satoshi’s identity remains the greatest abiding mystery of an otherwise disenchanted era. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024 Lebanon has long accused Israel of violating its airspace and failing to abide by other provisions of the resolution. Sarah El Deeb and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 The group is funding an education campaign aimed at convincing voters to abide by the recommendations of the Judicial Performance Review Commission and retain all of the judges on the ballot. Jimmy Jenkins, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2024 Not all teachers are requesting students to abide by the instructions. Alexcia Negrete, Orange County Register, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abide 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abide
Verb
  • What role Kennedy might hold if Trump wins on Tuesday remains unclear.
    Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2024
  • The locals preferred to remain inside, and because their windowless houses guarded their privacy the village often had a disquieting air of desertion.
    Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Joel Pitra Photo: Joel Pitra The living area has an original wood-burning fireplace.
    Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 7 Nov. 2024
  • The New York Times reported last month that Musk reportedly hopes one day that all 11 of his children and their mothers can live there or at least stop by.
    Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Advertisement Both a freshwater and brackish species, the golden mussel can tolerate wide ranges in salinity, temperature and pH levels, and cantravel much farther than people might think.
    Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
  • People with this condition may tolerate foods with balanced levels of glucose and fructose, as glucose enhances fructose absorption.
    Devineé Lingo, M.S., Health, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Critics of the deal have cited concerns about the intentions of Nippon Steel regarding continuing domestic production, particularly in blast furnaces.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Advertisement Early voting continues Monday at voting centers throughout the state, and on Tuesday, voters can cast their ballots in person at hundreds of polling locations.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The new digital and social campaign amplifies the collection’s flexibility by highlighting five women with different professions and hobbies (a skateboarder, a pilates instructor, a roller skater and two dancers) who all need comfort and style to stay active in their day-to-day lives.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2024
  • This is the same model that’s effective in the workplace or on a sports team—a leader who can stay true to their principles and who cares about other people’s feelings without being taken over by them.
    Becky Kennedy, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • In a 2014 interview with The New Yorker, during a tour of Al's home, the Emmy Award winner pointed out a painting by Anton, which resides by his fireplace.
    Kayla Caldwell, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
  • While studying filmmaking in the U.S. Fukunaga realized that nearly everyone there understood what had happened to Native Americans, while awareness among Japanese people of the plight of the Ainu people, the Indigenous ethnic group who reside in northern Japan, was much lower.
    Gavin J Blair, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Those selected for key positions like the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, CIA Director, Attorney General, Secretary of State, to name a few, will determine the quality of American leadership in the world for the next four years with long enduring implications.
    Sam Nunn, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
  • By stark contrast, Manchester United have endured a dreadful start to their Premier League campaign.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • In Oakland, the protests lasted for several days and resulted in the arrests of 30 people.
    Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Throughout the excavation process, which is expected to last until spring of 2025, tents will cover the work areas to both protect the remains and artifacts, and honor those found.
    Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Abide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abide. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

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